Apparatus for buffing work surface

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for waxing, polishing, or buffing a work surface having a housing with a movable working element attached to the housing. Also attached to the housing is a spray assembly that selectively applies material to the work surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This application is directed towards a polishing device and more specifically, a device for polishing/buffing automobiles and the like.

Typically, power tools, such as polishers or waxers, are for use on delicate work surfaces of varying contours, including exterior car finishes. Such power tools commonly include a motor that drives a working element, such as a polishing or waxing pad, in an orbital path for engagement with the work surface. To properly treat the work surface while preventing damage thereto, an operator precisely guides the working element along the work surface and simultaneously controls the pressure with which the working element is applied to the work surface.

Currently, when one polishes a working surface, a coat of wax is manually placed onto the surface. Then, after the wax is dried an individual uses a polisher to treat the top of the waxed surface to remove excess dried wax material. By first applying wax manually and then treating the dried wax with a polisher, valuable time is wasted and the process is awkward.

Therefore, it is a principal object of the invention to provide an improved polishing machine.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a polishing machine that improves efficiency during use of the machine.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An apparatus for waxing, polishing, or buffing a work surface having a housing with a movable working element attached to the housing. Also attached to the housing is a spray assembly that selectively applies material to the work surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for waxing, buffing, polishing or the like;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of an apparatus for waxing, buffing, polishing or the like;

FIG. 3 is a cut-away view of a spray nozzle assembly for an apparatus for waxing, buffing, polishing or the like; and

FIG. 4 is a cut-away view of an alternative spray nozzle assembly for an apparatus for waxing, buffing, polishing, or the like.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 illustrates an ergonomic apparatus 10 for waxing, polishing, buffing or the like. The apparatus 10 has a symmetrical design about a vertical reference plane, (not shown), extending centrally from a forward end 12 to a rearward end 14. The apparatus 10 as shown is by example only and can be of many different shapes and configurations. The apparatus 10 includes a housing 16 preferably having a clamshell design with a first section 18 and a second section 20 which, when connected to each other, define a part line 21 which extends in the vertical reference plane about which the housing 16 is generally symmetrical, as shown in FIG. 2. The first and second sections 18 and 20 are molded plastic parts with their various portions described herein being formed integrally with each other.

The housing 16 includes a main central housing 22 in which a motor assembly 24 is mounted, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The main housing 22 includes a front handle 26 and a rear handle 28 extending therefrom. The main housing 22 includes a substantially flat top 30 and a bottom 32 and the front and rear handles 26 and 28 extend transversely to each other with the front handle 26 extending horizontally outwardly towards the forward end 12 from the main housing 22 between and substantially parallel to the top 30 and bottom 32 thereof while the rear handle 28 extends outwardly towards the rear end 14 from the main housing 22 and extends vertically and arcuately between the top 30 and bottom 32 of the main housing 22.

Extending from the housing 16 is a switch housing 36. The switch housing contains an actuator paddle 38 that is electrically connected to the motor 24 to operate the apparatus 10.

At the top 30 of the housing 16, a raised wedge-shaped collar region 40 is defined into which a male receptacle or plug plate 42 is mounted for receiving a female socket head of an electrical cord (not shown) for electrically connecting an alternating current power source, for 110 volts at 60 Hz, to the motor assembly 24. Adjacent the collar region 40 towards the rearward end 14 of the housing 16, a cord locking mechanism 44 is defined in the housing top 30. The cord locking mechanism 44 prevents accidental disconnection of the female socket head connected in the collar region 40 to the male receptacle 42. Thus, with the motor 24 activated to drive a working element, such as a buffer pad 46, the buffer pad 46 is driven in an orbital path. The above-described design of the housing 16 allows an operator to easily manipulate the apparatus 10 with two hands to exert bi-planar control over the apparatus 10 while the buffer pad 46 is moved along the working surface in its orbital path without having to grab the main housing 22 to effectively and accurately guide and control the pad 46 along the working surface. Also, the placement of the electrical connection between the apparatus 10 and the electrical cord supplying AC power thereto in a recessed location on the housing top 30 and with the cord-locking mechanism 44 adjacent thereto maintains the cord in place remotely from the interface between the pad 46 and the surface being worked upon, such as a car finish, while at the same time limiting disconnections interrupting the waxing, buffing or polishing process for which the apparatus 10 is used.

Mounted within or adjacent to housing 16 is a spray nozzle assembly 56. The spray nozzle assembly has an actuator switch 58 that is mounted on the apparatus 10 at a location that is easily accessible for manual activation such as near the actuator paddle 38. In one example the spray nozzle assembly 56 includes a pump 60 disposed within a reservoir 62 that contains wax or like material. Alternatively, a syringe type or air pressure system is used. The reservoir 62 is in communication via a conduit 64 with a nozzle 66. Preferably, the nozzle has a generally frusto-conically shaped outer wall 68 that terminates in an end wall 70 having centrally located spray opening 72. The actuator switch is operatively connected to the pump 60 to activate the pump which allows material to flow from the reservoir 62 to the nozzle 66 either by pressure supplied by the pump, or gravity.

Alternatively, conduit 64 extends from the reservoir 62 to bottom 32 via section 74 where the conduit splits into a plurality of sections 76 within pad 46 that allow material to be provided to the pad 46 and/or the surface directly.

In operation, to wax a surface, one manually activates switch 58. Switch 58 activates pump 60 such that material is transferred from reservoir 62 through conduit 64 to nozzle 66 and onto the work surface. Once material, such as wax is applied to the work surface, one engages the actuator paddle 38 which in turn activates the buffer pad 46. Alternatively, material is applied to the work surface while the buffer pad is activated. In this manner, one does not need to stop the buffing process to apply material from a separate container.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other various modifications could be made to the device without the parting from the spirit in scope of this invention. All such modifications and changes fall within the scope of the claims and are intended to be covered thereby. 

1. An apparatus for waxing, polishing, or buffing a work surface, comprising: a housing having a movable working element attached to the housing; and a spray assembly attached to the housing to selectively apply material to the work surface.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the spray assembly is disposed within the housing.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the spray assembly has a reservoir in fluid communication with a nozzle.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the spray assembly further comprises a pump positioned to selectively permit material to flow from the reservoir to the nozzle.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising an actuator switch operatively connected to the pump.
 6. An apparatus for waxing, polishing, or buffing a work surface, comprising: a housing having a movable working element attached to the housing; and a spray assembly attached to the housing with a conduit that selectively supplies material to the working element. 